Hajni Selby

I’m so glad that you will be joining us at THATCamp next week. We will start at 9AM on Wednesday and we meet in the Crystal ballroom A/F which is on the lobby level of the Hilton. Some participants might not be able to join us at 9AM due to travel, just come as you are and when you can. No need to pack an additional set of dress clothes for Wednesday, unless you are like me and prefer that sort of thing-THATCamp is all about being comfortable and productive and collegial and fun.

After introductions, some light snacks, and our collective decisions about setting the schedule, the rest of the day features break-out sessions in adjacent rooms, time for lunch (as groups or on you own), and a closing session sometime between 3 and 5PM -depending on what the group decides. One of the best parts of THATCamp is checking out local restaurants with fellow participants during lunch and a happy hour (or two) at the conclusion of the day.

Each of the rooms will have a projector and the standard connector. If you have something to project, you’ll need a laptop or other device along with any special adapters.

There will also be time set aside in the morning for something known as “Lightning Round Talks” or alternatively and affectionately known as “Dork Shorts” among the original THATCamp attendees. This gives participants the opportunity to talk for two minutes about a Digital Humanities project they may be working on. This is wonderful for so many reasons-it allows everyone the chance to see the work that their colleagues are doing and encourages participants who have questions or who might be interested in collaboration to follow-up with that person later.

I hope everyone is looking forward to our time together in Atlanta. feel free to send an email or call if you have any last-minute questions.

It is hard to believe that THATCamp is only a week away. Please help us create the schedule by letting us know what kinds of sessions interest you . You can propose discussions about questions and topics, working sessions where participants learn a skill, working groups where participants work on a project, or just about anything else related to Digital Humanities.

Participants can add their ideas in the morning session as well. Once all suggestions are in, everyone will vote and indicate which sessions appeal to them the most. We take it from there-majority rules but no session idea is ever rejected because participants can always start their own “grassroots” sessions in the lobby. Ain’t democracy grand?

On behalf of the Organization of American Historians, it is my pleasure to invite you to join us for a day of productive fun at The Humanities And Technology Camp. No matter your level of technical skill, if you have an interest in learning and sharing new ideas and a spirit of collegiality, this is the place for you. We’ll get started on the morning of April 9th, the day before the official start of the OAH. Come as you are and get ready to meet wonderful people—there is simply no better way to start a conference than by attending a THATCamp.

What’s a THATCamp?

THATCamp participants set the agenda in the morning by proposing and voting on the sessions. For example, someone might propose a session aimed at exploring ways that technology could be useful in the peer review process. Another participant might ask a direct question such as “how can I create a website” or “how can data mining help my research?” At that point, participants with experience will usually volunteer to lead a session that will teach those skills. Another participant might propose a working session where the participants discussed ways to solve a problem or create something new.

So some sessions will focus on learning a skill or launching a collaborative project. Others sessions will feature discussions about pedagogy, sharing research, public history, or a host of other topics. You might start the day with an instructional sessions on the basics of web design or writing code, have a discussion about the utility of technology in the classroom, learn some basics of data mining that will help you with a current research project, and end the day by joining your new friends in creating a public history website or application.

Sessions can be proposed on this website or they can be proposed on the morning of THATCamp. The most popular 12-16 sessions will be held throughout the day. Participants are free to move from one session to another or plan spontaneous sessions based on questions that come up throughout the day. This last part is key-some of the best sessions might not appeal to a large number of participants so even if the session does not make the official cut it can still happen in a more informal manner.

Sounds great but….

The best part of THATCamp is the collegiality, so please do not worry that participants will be expected to come with anything more than a willingness to learn and share. THATCamp works best when there are a large number of first time attendees and people with diverse backgrounds and skills. Have concerns about technology? So will many of your fellow participants-let’s talk about it.

The best part of THATCamp is the collegiality, so please do not worry that participants will be expected to come with anything more than a willingness to learn and share. Since it’s kind of a hybrid between a conference and a jam session, it works best when there are a large number of first time attendees and people with diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skill levels.

It’s also a great way to meet some great people you’ll want to run into during the rest of your stay in Atlanta.

There’s a new THATCamp being planned for the 2014 OAH Annual Meeting in Atlanta! Full details will be released shortly but meanwhile, read more about the THATCamp movement and browse other THATCamps at thatcamp.org.